Silk screen stenciling machine



Aug. 12, 1952 J. A. BLACK SILK SCREEN sTENcILING MACHINE Filed June 12, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 12, 1952 J. A. BLACK SILK SCREEN STENCILING MACHINE Filed June 12, 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 s N Jflmes -lacli llozucq J. A. BLACK 2,606,492

SILK SCREEN STENCILING MACHINE Aug. l2, 1952 Filed June 12. 1948 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 woe/wim Aug. 12, 1952 .1. A. BLACK SILK SCREEN STENCILING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June l2, 1948 Aug. l2, 1952 J. A. BLACK SILK SCREEN STENCILING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June l2. 1948 Aug l2, 1952 J. A. BLACK 2,606,492

SILK SCREENv STENCILING MACHINE www Aug. l2, 1952 J. A. BLACK SILK SCREEN STENCILING MACHINE Filed June 12. 1948 zza 212 21" 1.34

. 3mm Jmea A. .Blacl aww Aug- 12, 1952 J. A. BLACK 2,606,492

' SILK SCREEN sTENcILINE MACHINE Filed June 12. 194e 1 v s sheets-sheet s T'-r 1331'133 13.5 133132 133134 153 l Patented Aug. 12, 1952 UNITED SILK SCREEN s'rENoILING MACHINE James A. Black, Kent, Mich.

' Application June 12, 194s, serial No. 32,559

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a silk screen stencilling machine, by means of which pigment paints, varnishes, shellacs, adhesives and other viscous or glutinous coating materials may be forced through a silk screen stencil onto flexible sheets of paper or other material for making posters, signs, decalcomanias or the like.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a fully automatic machine of the type indicated, which is especially adapted for printing or otherwise processing with a coating material, successive flexible sheets; to provide such a machine which will operate at high speed and at the same time insure accurate positioning of the coating material on each sheet processed; to provide such a machine which is particularly Well adapted to the production of multi-coated sheets, such as decalcomanias or multi-colored posters, wherein each coating or color must be in perfect registry with the other coatings or colors; to provide such a machine in which the sheets are supported beneath the processing means on a rotary platen or drum; to provide such a machine which is especially well adapted for coating flexible sheets by the silk screen stencil printing process, and wherein the movement of the sheets through the machine is perfectly coordinated with movement of the silk screen stencil so that a perfect image is obtained; to provide such a machine in which the sheets being processed are in contact with the silk screen stencil only at the actual point or area of processing, thus to prevent any lsmearing of the sheets, said resultsbeing accomplished by the co-ordinated movements of the stencil and the supporting drum for the sheets in such av manner that the sheets are rapidly advanced toward the stencil at a point where a fixed squeegee will force the coating material through the stencil onto the sheets, and in such a manner that the sheets are thereafter rapidly Withdrawn from the stencil; to provide novel and effective means for feeding each sheet to be processed to the stock-supporting drum, novel and effective means for maintaining each sheet fast` on the surface of the drum at the point of processing, novel and effective means for releasing each sheet from the surface of the drum after processing, and novel and effective means for stripping each processed sheet oi the drum; to provide such a machine in which the squeegee for forcing the coating material through the silk screen stencil is moved into contact with the stencil for the print stroke, and out of contact with the stencil for the nonprint stroke; and in general to provide such a machine which is smooth and eiiicient in operation, economical in construction, operation and maintenance, and operable by a single operator.

These objects are attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in the structure hereinafter described in detail and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, Wherein Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the machine, certain moving parts thereof being shown in the positions which they occupy just prior to a non-print stroke of the machine;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 2a is a fragmentary end elevational View of fastening means' for securing the stencil frame in the stencil carriage of the machine;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the machine taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on lines 4--4 of Figures l, 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of certain parts of the machine, shown principallyVv in side elevation and with a driving shaft thereof shown in vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4; Y

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing ce'rtain moving parts of the'machine in vertical section taken on lines 6 6 of Figures 2 and 3, said parts being shown in positions which they occupy intermediate the beginning and the end of a print stroke of the machine;

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the same parts of the machine in similar vertical section on lines 1-1 of Figures 2 and 3, saidparts being here shown in positions which they occupy intermediate the beginning and the end of a non-print stroke of the machine;

Figure 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view of the machines stock-supporting drum per se as viewed from the line 8-8 of Figure 6, the supporting frame of the machine being shown fragmentarily;

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of certain camming mechanism of the machine shown in vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the stock-supporting drum of the machine and parts adjacent thereto, taken on line Ill-I0 of Figure 8; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view of the surface'4 of said stock-supporting drum, developed into a plane. f.

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein certain like parts are designated 'by the same numerals in the several views, the fsilk screen stencil machine there shown is mounted on a frame designated I5, said frame being of generally rectangular parallelopiped formation, comprising corner posts I6, upper side rails I1 and lower side rails I8 at each of the opposite sides of the frame, connected by upper and lower cylindrical cross-rails I9 and 2S respectively having their ends mounted in bosses 2| in the corner posts I5 and secured therein by bolts 22.

The prime driving force for all of the moving parts of. the machine hereinafter described, is an electric motor 23 mounted on a platform 24 which spans the space between the lower side rails I8 of the frame and which is secured to the frame by bolts 25 (see Figures l and 3), the motor 23 being provided with suitable electrical connections (not shown). The motors shaft 2S has a pulley 21 which by means cfa belt 28 is coupled to a pulley 28 on the drive shaft 88 of a speed regulating device 3| on the platform 24, and although the internal mechanism of this speed regulator 3| is not shown in the drawingsv it will be readily understood that manipulation of the hand-wheel 32 on the regulators shaft 3S which extends through an end panel 34 on the frame of the machine, will vary the speed of the regulators driven shaft 35 as desired, while the speed of the drive shaft 38 remains constant.

'The driven shaft 35 of the speed regulator 5| carries a pulley 35 which is coupled by means of a belt 31 to a pulley 38 on the drive shaft 35 of an air exhaust pump 48 mounted by bolts 8| on the platform 24. The purpose of the air exhaust pump will hereinafter be described.

The driven shaft 35 of the speed regulator 3| is also `provided with a gear 42 which meshes with a gear 43 on the drive shaft 44 of a differential mechanism 45, and the rotation of the drive shaft 44 is by this differential mechanism transmitted to crank arms 45, 41 to rotate these crank arms in a counter-clockwise direction as viewedin Figure l. (See Figures l, 3 and 4.) The diierential mechanism 45 is mounted by means of screws 48 on a platform 49 which in turn is secured by bolts 5I) to brackets 5I mounted by bolts 52 on the lower side rails I8 of the machines frame I5. The outer ends of the crank arms 45, 41 are pivotally connected to the forward ends of connecting rods 53, 54, the rearward ends of which are pivotally connected to a horizontal cross-bar 55 the opposite ends of which are secured to rocker arms 5S, 51 turnably mounted at their lower ends on the opposite ends of a cross-shaft 58 journalled in bearings 59 secured by screws Si! to the undersides f the lower rails I8 at opposite sides of the machine. The connecting rods 53 andv 5:3 are desirably provided with turnbuckles 52 in the middles thereof respectively, by means of which the length of said rods may be accurately adjusted. A strut 63 having its upper end pivotally connected to the middle of the cross-bar 55 and its lower end fiXedly connected to the middle of the cross-shaft 58 is provided for adding rigidity to the structure.

The upper end portions of the rocker arms 55, i51 are provided with longitudinal keyways 6d, 65 in which are disposed sliding blocks 86, 61 which are secured to the outer ends of stub shafts 68, 69 turnably journalled in bearings 1) (see Figure 2) which are secured by means of screws 1| to the opposite sides of the rearward end of a stencil carriage 12 having pairs of rollers 13 at the opposite sides thereof. These rollers 13 are'movable forwardly-rearwardly `on inwardly extending ways 14 formed in horizontal top rails 15 which are secured by screws 16 to the upper ends of posts 11 mounted by means of bolts 18 on the upper surfaces of the upper side rails I1 of the machines frame I5. During the forward and rearward movements of the stencil carriage 12, smooth movement of the sliding blocks 65, 61 in the keyways 54, 65 is insured by the provision or" tension springs 66a and 51a having their upper ends secured to the blocks 56, 61 and their lower ends secured at the bottoms of the key- Ways.

f The stencil carriage 12 is of rigid angle iron construction, and is adapted to carry interchangeable stencils each comprising a silk screen 19 affixed to the underside of a rectangular, wooden stencil frame 8B removably mounted in the carriage 12 by means of plates 8| secured t0 the end of the stencil frame by screws 82 and having slots 83 adapted to receive the shanks 0f anchor bolts 84 hingedly connected to the end of the stencil carriage (see Figures 2 and 2a).

The underside of the stencil carriage 12 is provided with gear racks 85 at the opposite sides thereof, which mesh with gears 85 at the opposite sides of a stock-supporting cylindrical platen or drum 81 which has trunnions 88 turnably mounted in bearing blocks 89 secured by bolts 90 having nuts 9| to plates 92 mounted in the upper side rails I1 of the machines frame I5. The drum 81 is thus mounted for reciprocating rotary movements in co-ordination with reciprocating linear movements of the stencil frame 12.

The work-processing means comprises a squeegee 83 of rubber or the like vertically adjustably clamped between supporting bars 94, and removably secured as by hand-screws 96 to a bar 91 having its opposite ends secured by bolts 98 having nuts 99 to blocks |00 which are vertically slidably disposed in keyways IDI in bearing members |62 mounted by screws |93 on the top rails 15 at opposite sides of the structure. The squeegee is thus mounted for vertical reciprocation into and out of engagement with the silk screen stencil 19. This movement is co-ordinated, by means hereinafter described, with the movements of the stencil carriage 12 and the drum 81, so that when the machine makes a print stroke the squeegee is in a lowered position against the stencil for forcing coating material |84 (see Figures 6 and 7) through theA stencil and onto the flexible sheets of stock |65 as they are carried beneath the squeegee by the stock-supporting drum. A shield IGS mounted on the end of the stencil carriage 12 by means of hand-screws |81 prevents splashing of the coating material lout of the stencil frame when the machine reaches the end of its print stroke. The mechanism whereby the squeegee is vertically reciprocated comprises a pair of substantially vertical rods |88 at opposite sides of the machine, the upper ends of which rods are pivotally connected tothe blocks |08 and the lower end portions of which slidably bear in bearing plates |89 secured by screws'llil to the lower side rails I8 of the machines frame I5. Turnbuckles are incorporated in the rods |08 for accurate adjustment of the length of these rods. The extreme lower ends of the rods |58 are provided with knobs ||2, and coiled compression springs |I3 are interposed between the knobs ||2 and the bearing plates |89 for normally urging the rods |58, and the squeegee, to a lowered position. (See Figure 5r.) rIhe knobs I I2 are pivotally connected tothe rearward ends of bars |I4 which are pivotally mounted on depending plates |I5 secured by screws ||6 to the lower side rails I8 of the machines frame I5. The opposite ends of bars I I4 are provided with rollers I1 which bear against the cammed surfaces of camwheels IIB, ||8a secured on the opposite outer ends of a cross-shaft ||9 which is constantly rotated in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 1 and 5 by means of a chain |20 passing over sprocket wheels I2I and |22 on the crankshaft 41 of the differential mechanism 45 and on the cross-shaft |I9 respectively. (See Figure 4.)

The cammed surface of the camwheel ||8 (on the near side of the machine as viewed inFigures `l and 5) performs a dual function of reciprocating one of the rods |88 as hereinbefore described, and of intermittently opening and closing'an air valve |22 secured by screws |I5 and |23 (see Figure 5) to the adjacent lower side rail I8 of the machines frame I5, said valve |22 having a spring-pressed operating arm |24 bearing against the camwheel IIB. Suction created in the conduit or tube |25 which connects the air exhaust pump 40 to one side of the valve |22, is thus intermittently applied to the conduit or tube |26 which connects the other side of the valve |22 to a channelled block |21 secured by screws |26 to the upper end of a supporting frame |29 secured by screws |36 to the platform 49 on the machines frame I5.

Referring now particularly to Figures and- 11 of the drawings, the channel |3| in the block |21 communicates with a chambered, arcuate transfer member |32 secured by screws |33 to an annular shoulder |34 at one side of the drum 81, said drum having preferably a wooden core and the screws |33 being, therefore, woodscrews. Reciproating rotation of the drum brings the chambers |35, |36, and |31 into successive registry with the channel I3 I, and the suction created in the channel I3| is thus automatically transferred from one chamber to the next. Chamber |35 communicates through a passage |36 in the wooden core of the drum 81 with a labyrinthian duct |39 in the outer surface of the drums wooden core, said duct |39 being in communicating registry with apertures |48 -in one sector or area in the drums outer metal shell which comprises the stock-supporting surface of the drum. Similarly,

the chamber |36 communicates through passage |4| and duct |42 with apertures |43 in another, circumferentially spaced, area of the drums exterior surface, and the chamber |31 communicates through passage |44 and duct |45 with apertures |46 in a third, circumferentially spaced area of the drums exterior surface.

The opposite ends of ther drums outer metal shell, which is secured to the wooden core of the drum as by woodscrews |41 (see Figure 8), are spaced apart, and a cavity |48 is provided in the wooden core of the drum between the spaced ends of the shell. A metal plate |49 is secured in the bottom of the cavity |48 as by woodscrews |58, and three aligned, spaced apart bearing blocks |5I, |52, and |53 are secured to the plate |49 by means of screws |54. A shaft |55 is journalled in the bearing blocks |5|, |52 and |53. A series of grippersv |56 is mounted on the shaft |55 by means of set screws |51, and the shaft is normally urged in a direction for causing the grippers |56 to engage the leading edge of the drums metal shell--or ofa flexible sheet of stock thereonby means of a coiled compression spring |58 the opposite ends of which are secured to the bearing block |5| and a collar |59 mounted on the shaft |55. Other collars |60 are secured on saidv shaft for retaining the shaft against longitudinal movement.

Means are provided for momentarily rotating the shaft |55 to releasethe ends of the grippers |56 from engagement with the drum at the end of the drums turning movement in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures l and l0. These means are best illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, and comprise a cam member |6| turnably mounted on a pin |62 threaded into a metal block |63 secured by screws |64 to the upper end of an arm |65 mounted on one upper side rail |1 of the machines frame I5 by means of bolts |66 having nuts |61. The cam member |6| has a pointed nger |68 rigidly connected thereto and movable therewith. The finger |68 engages a crank 'pin |69 on the outer end of a crank arm |10 secured by a set screw |1I on the adjacent end of the shaft |55 near the end of the drums travel in said clockwise direction (counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 9). The crank pin |69 is thus caused to follow the -path indicated by the arrows |12 in Figure 9, thus momentarily turning the shaft |55 and releasing the grippers from engagement with the drum.. On the returning movement of the drum 81 from its extreme limit of travel in said direction, the crank pin |69 follows the path indicated by the arrows |13 of Figure 9, in which circular movement the crank pin |89 engages the finger |68 to slightly rotate the cam member |6| and thus permit thecrank pin to pass freely by without turning the shaft |55. The cam member is then rotated to its original position illustrated in Figure 9, by means of a coiled tension spring 245 which has its opposite ends secured to the cam'member |6| and the metal block |63.

Other means are provided for momentarily rotating the shaft |55 to release the ends of the grippers |56 from engagement with the drum 81 when the drum has rotated approximately ninety degrees in the opposite direction (counterclockwise as viewedin Figures 1 and 10). These means comprise a cam yplate |14 dependingly secured by screws |15 to the underside of a cross plate |16 the opposite ends of which are secured by screws |11 to the upper side rails I1 of the machines frame I5. A crank arm |18 secured by a set screw |19 on the opposite end of shaft |55 from the crank arm |18, has a roller |88 on its outer end adapted to engage the camplate |14 in the described phase of the drums travel to momentarily disengage the grippers |56 from'the leading edge of the drums metal shell.

The sheet-feeding mechanism of the machine, shown best in Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7, comprises an inclined table ISI having slots |82 therethrough Y in which are disposed rollers |83, |84 mounted on cross-shafts |85, |85 journalled in bearings |81 (see Figure 1) secured to the underside of the table I8I. Tapes |88 of fabric or the like pass over the rollers |83, |34 and also over rollers |89 on a rotating cross-shaft |98 and rollers |9I on a rotating cross-shaft |82, the cross-shafts |98 and |02 being journalled in side plates |93 mounted on cross-bars |94,V having their opposite ends secured by screws |96 and |91 respectively to the opposite upper side rails |1 of the frame I5. Cross-shaft |98, and the tapes|88, are driven by means of a belt |98 which operatively connects a pulley |99 on said cross-shaft with a driven pulley 208 (see Figure 3) on the shaft 39 of the air exhaust Dump 40.

Sheets of stock fed onto the moving tapes |88 are weighted dcwnby means of steel balls 28| disposed in through recesses 202m bars2 03 which are suspended over the tapes 'I 88 from agrecta'ngularframe 204 mounted on the table |01. 'It will be see'nthat as Athesheets are fed onto the Ytapes by an operator standing'at 'the forward end of the machine,V the sheets will by reason of the slanting disposition of the tapes |88 automatically be moved towards the left, as viewed from the operators position, against a guide'Z'ilE adjustably mounted on the table I8I by'means of fittings 206 threadedly engaged in brackets 207 secured as by screws 293 to the table I'8I. Y(The guide is seenl in cross-section in Figure 4.) l A -Means are provided for controlling the movement of the sheets of `stock from the feeding i tapes |88 to the drum Blg'of the machine, which means comprise a rock-shaft 229 journalle'd in bearings 2id secured by screws 2| i to the table IBI. A stop arm 2!2 is rigidly secured on the rock-shaft 2399 centrally thereof (see Figures 2 and 10), said a-rms hooked end 2 I 3 being adapted to engage a sheet of stock and detain the same until the instant at which the sheet should be re leased to the drum, independently of the move'- ment of the tapes |33 under the sheet. Properly timed raising of the arm ZIE to release the sheet is effected by contact of Va pin Elli with the cammed rearward end of a striker arm 2 I 5 rigidly mounted on the -end of the rock-shaft209. The

sheets are weighted against the drum during the feeding operation by means of arms 2I5 loosely mounted on the V'rock-shaft 293 and having flexible fingers 2 Il which constantly bear against the fed sheets or against the surface of the `drum when nosheet is in position thereon. Feeding of the sheets is further controlled by means of an arm 2 l 'I rigidly mounted on a shaft 2 8 journalled in the opposite side portions of the rectangular frame 294, said arm 2|? having a depending ringer 2 I9 adapted to bea-r against the fed sheets. Raising movement of the arm 2I'I to release the sheets at the proper time, is effected by contact of a pin '220 on the kdrum 8l' with a. sliding bar 22| slidably disposed in a bearing plate 222 'secured by screws 223 to the cross-bar E9e, the sliding bar 22| beingY pivotally connected at its forward end to the lower end of an arm 220 depending from the shaft 2 I8 and being normally urged toward a position for engagement with the pin 220 by means of a. tension spring 225 having one end thereof secured to the bearing plate 222 and the other end thereof secured to the depending arm 224. n y

Means for removing the `processed sheets from the drum 8? of the machine comprise aseries of .strippers 223 loosely mounted on a rod 22'! which spans the'space between ,a pair of uprights 229 mounted on the cross plate |25, said strippers having knife-.like ends which constantly bear against thesurface of the drum. These strippers peel the processed sheets oif the drum and onto moving tapes 229 which pas/s over rollers 233 'secured on a shaft 23| having its opposite ends journalled in the uprights 223 and which also pass over and are driven by rollers 232 secured on a, shaft 233 iournalled in bearing plates 234 secured as by screws 235 to the opposite sides of the machines frame I5. The shaft 233 is driven by 'a belt 238 which passes around a pulley 23'! on the shaft 233 (see Figure 3) and around a larger pulley 238 ona shaft 239 having its opposite ends journalled in bearings 220 depending from the `lower side rails I8 of the 'machines frame. The shaft 239 is `in turn driven by a belt .24| which passes around a pulley 2152 on the shaft Y239 and around a pulleyj243 onthe cross shaft I I9, which is the same shaft that drives the camwheels IIB,

I la "and which is driven by chain |29.

A(Moeration The operation ofthe machine may best be understood by reference to uFigures 1, 6 and 7 of the drawings. Y

Sheets of paper |05 or other flexible stock to be processed by the silk Screening operation are fed onto the'table I8I of the machine by an operator stationed'at the right or rearward end of the machine as viewed irl-Figures 1, 2 and 3. Each sheet is moved forwardly, and laterally against the 'guide 265 (see Figure 4) by the constantly moving tapes |88, yuntil the sheet abuts against the hooked end 2 I3 of the stop arm 2 I2 on the rockshaft 2119, where the sheet remains until the properly timed moment for its release to the stock-supporting druin 8?. n v n As viewed in Figure 1, themachine is just commencing its 4non--print stroke. Rocker arms 64, 65 now 'move the silk screen stencil V753 and, its frame 86 and carriage l2 to the right, during which movement the gear racks r on vthe stencil carriage meshing with gears 85 on the work-supporting drum Si cause the drum tobe rotated in a clockwise direction, and the squeegee 93 is in a raised position out of contact with the stencil 'I9 (see Figure 7). During this movement, the coating material |94 is distributed 'over the surface of the stencil by vmeans of a spreader 2M. When the parts reach their positions Vshown in Figure 7, the grippers |56 on shaft |55 are quickly moved .f out of Ycontact with the drum 8'! and then toward the drum for gripping the leading edge of the sheet |05. This movement of the grippers is effected by the action of cam ISI (see Figures 8 and 9) on the crank pin |59 of crank arm |10 on shaft I 55. At the same time, arm 2| 2 of shaft 259 is raised by Contact of pin 2|4 on drum 31 with striker arm 2 I 5 on shaft 209, and arm 2 I 'I on shaft ZIB is raised by contact of pin 229 on drum Sl' with the sliding bar 22 I. The sheet of stock |35 is thus released to the drum for movement therewith in a counter-'clockwise' or forward direction, this being the print stroke ofthe machine and being best illustrated in Figure 6. v

Duringthe print stroke of the machine, the squee'gee 93 is lowered into contact with the silk screen stencil 'I9 for forcing the coating material 104 therethrough and onto the sheet of stock, the lowering of the squ'eegee having been effected by the action of camlwheels IIS, I|8a on bars III! and the supporting rods |08 connected thereto.

As the sheet |05 passes with the drum 81 beneath the stencil 79, it is made to adhere to the stock-supporting surface of the drum by suction successively created in the apertured areas |40, |43 and |43 of the drum, the suction being transferred from one apertured area to the next by the transfer member |35 on the drum, as best shown in detail in Figures l() and 11. y flirter processing, the roller |89 on crank arm |18 on shaft |55-, contacts cam plate Illl thus rotating shaft |55 and causing the grippers |59 torrelease the leading edge of the sheet of .stock It. Atthis point, bestshown in Figure 6, the processed sheet is peeled off the surface of thev drum by the strippers 223 and is conveyed away from the drum by the constantly moving tapes 229. Suction is successively relieved'fro'rn the apertured areas of the drum by the suction transfer .member I 35, thus releasing the sheet |05 from the stock-supporting surface of the 9V drum just prior to engagement of the leading edge of the sheet by the strippers 226.

When the stencil carriage 12 and the drum 8l reach the end of the print stroke, i. e. their extreme limits of movement to the left and counterclockwise, respectively, as viewed in Figures 1 and 6, the squeegee 93 vis again lifted out of engagement with the stencil l!) by the action of camwheels H8, Hdd on bars H4 and rods |98, and the parts of the machine are again in positionfor commencement of the machines non-print stroke.

Inasmuch as all of the moving parts of the machine are driven by the samemotor 23, their movement is coordinated throughout, and the speed ofthe entire machine may be varied at the will of the operator by manipulation of the hand- Wheel 32 on the speed regulator 3l.

It will thus be seen that the machine of the present invention provides aY rapid and elcient means for the silk screen processing of successive sheets of flexible stock, in the production of posters, decalcomanias and the like, and while but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown andl described it is to be understood that numerous details ofthe construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is dened by the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. In a silk screen stencilling machine: a frame; a drum mounted on the frame for reciprocating rotary movements about a horizontal axis; a silk screen stencil mounted on the frame adacent the drum for reciprocating, substantially horizontal, linear movements in co-ordination with the rotary movements of the drum whereby a portion of the stencil is always .in registry with the corresponding portion of the exterior stock-supporting surface of the drum; means for feeding the leading edge of a stock sheet to the drum at the beginning of the drums movement in one direction; suction means on the drum for temporarily effecting adherence of the sheet to the drum in the area of registry between the drum and the stencil; and means for forcing coating material through the stencil onto the sheet as said sheet passes the stencil.

2. In a silk screen stencilling machine: a frame; a drum mounted on the frame for reciprocating rotary movements about a horizontal axis and having a gear thereon; a silk screen stencil mounted on the frame adiacent the drum and having a rack thereon in engagement with the gear on the drum for imparting reciprocating, substantially horizontal, linear movements to the stencil and for co-ordinating the movements of the drum and the stencil in such a manner that a portion of the stencil is always in registry with y the corresponding portion of the exterior stocksupporting surface of the drum; means for feeding the leading edge of a stock sheet to the drum at the beginning of the drums movement in one direction; suction means on the drum for temporarily effecting adherence of the sheet to the drum in the area of registry between the drum and the stencil; and means for forcing coating material through the stencil onto the sheet as said sheet passes the stencil.

3. In a silk screen stencilling machine: a frame; a drum mounted on the frame for ren ciprocating rotary movements about a horizontalV axis; a silk screen stencil mounted on the frame 'l adjacent the drum for reciprocating, substantially horizontal, linear movements in co-ordination with the rotary movements of the drum whereby a portion of the stencil is always in registry with the corresponding portion of the exterior stock-supporting surface of the drum; means for feeding the leading edge of a stock sheet to the drum at the beginning of the drums movementin one direction; means for temporarily effecting adherence of thersheet to the drum'in the area of registry between the drum and the stencil, said means comprising circumferentially spaced apertures in the stock-supporting exterior surface of the drum and means 'for creating temporary Vsuction at succeeding apertures asv they pass said area of registry; and means for forcing coatingmaterial through the stencil ontothe sheet as said sheet passes the stencil. y Y

4. In `a silk screen stencilling machine: a frame; a drum mounted on the frame for reciprocatingrctary movements about a horizontal axis; a silk screen stencil mounted on the frame above the drum for reciprocating, substantially horizontal, linear movements in co-ordination with the rotary movements of the drum whereby a portion of the stencil is always in registry with the corresponding portion of the exterior stock-supporting surface of the drum; coating material on the upper surface of the stencil; means vfor feeding the leading edge of a stock sheet to the drum at vthe beginning of the drums movementin one direction; suction means on the drumA for temporarily effecting adherence `of the sheet to the drum in the area of registry between the drum and the stencil; and a squeegee mounted on the frame for reciprocating vertical movements into engagement with the stencil during said drums movement in said one direction for forcing the coating material through the stencil onto the sheet as said sheet passes beneath the stencil, and out of engagement with the stencil during said drums movement in the opposite direction.

5. In a silk screen stencilling machine: a frame; a drum mounted on the frame for reciprocating rotary movements about a horizontal axis; a silk screen stencil mounted on the frame above the drum for reciprocating, substantially horizontal, linear movements in co-ordination with the rotary movements of the drum whereby a portion of the stencil is always in registry with the corresponding portion of the exterior stocksupporting surface of the drum; coating material on the upper surface of the stencil; means for feeding the leading edge of a stock sheet to the drum at the beginning of the drums movement in one direction; means for temporarily effecting adherence of the sheet to the drum in the area of registry between the drum and the stencil, said means comprising circumferentially spaced apertures in the stock-supporting exterior surface of the drum and means for creating temporary suction at succeeding apertures as they pass said area of registry; and a squeegee mounted on the frame for reciprocating vertical movements into Iengagement with the stencil during said drums movement in said one direction for forcing the coating material through the stencil onto the sheet as said sheet passes beneath the stencil, and out of engagement with the stencil during said drums movement in the opposite direction.

6. In a silk screen stencilling machine: a

frame; a drum mounted on the frame vfor reciprocating rotary movements about a horizontal axis and having a gear thereon; a silk screen stencil mounted on the frame adjacent the drum andl having-a rack thereon inengagement with the-gear on the drum for imparting,l reciprocating, substantially horizontal, linear movements-to the-stenciland forY cca-ordinatingv the movements of the drumancl thestencil in such a manner that a-.porti'onof' thestencil is always in registry with the corresponding p ortion of the exterior stock-supporting surface ofthe drum; means` for feedingtheleadingedge of a. stock sheetto the drumv at the beginningr at theI-drums movement infonetdirection; means-for temporarily effecting adherenceof the sheet tofthe, drum in the areaof.- registry between. the drum and the stencil, said means comprising: circumferentially y spaced aperturesf in the` stocl2-supportingl exterior sur.- faceeof-therdrum and meansf for creatingitemporary suction at succeeding apertures as they pass saidarea ofv registry; and'A a squeegee mountedgon-thez frame for; reciprocating vertical movementsfinto engagement. with the stencil duringfsaid drums movement in saidl one` direction forforcing thecoating material through the stencilionto theA sheet as saidA sheet passesthe stencil, and outf of engagement with thevstencil during-said drums movement in the-opposite direction.`

7: In a' machine of the classdescribed: a frame; afsilk screen'steneil onthef frame; means ori-the frame -for processingstock-by forcing-coating material through4 said stencil onto stock therebeneath.; a stock-supportingr drum mounted on the frame for-rotary movement beneathA said stencil.V for, supporting the stools` during the'pro- 1'2 gressive processingv thereof, said drum having circumferentially spaoeol4 apertured, stocksupporting sections and aplurality of aeriformA iiuid chambers communicating with said aperturecl sections respectively; means forl progressively feeding stock to the drum for rotation therewith past the stencil; means'for successively exhaustingthe aeriform fluid from said chambers to maintain by suction successivesections of the stock in position on the rotating drum during the progressive processing thereof; and meansv for successively admitting aeriform uid to said chambers to release successive sections of the stock from the drum after the processing thereof.

JAMES A; BLACK..

REEEREN CES CIEDV The followingl references are of; record, nthe file of, this` patent:

UNITED STATESl PATENTS Number Name Date 513,212, Stackhouse Jan. 23, 1894 1,107,254 Blackford Aug. 1,8, 1914v 1,668,999 Fallot May 8, 1928 1,832,216 Johnston etal Nov. 17, 1931 2,126,804 Overly Aug. 16, 1938 2,202,496- La Bombard-et al. May 28, 1940 FOREIGN 'PATENTS Number. Country Date 281,650 Italy Jan. 19,1931 

